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May 30, 2015

Lobbying for the Submarine acquisition programme under P-75I of
Indian Navy has begun in a serious note with the visit of German Defence
Minister Ursula von der Leyen to New Delhi and Mumbai from 26th to 28th
May, 2015. The RFP under the P-75I programme for acquisition of six
submarines was released in October last, after years of deliberations
in the MOD. The German defence minister had extensive interaction with
the Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and later the Prime
Minister Narendra Modi on the issue of defence and security cooperation.
Her visit will be followed by the visit of German Chancellor Angela
Merkel in October during which the Chancellor is also expected to raise
the issue of acquiring Submarines from Germany. India has already
acquired four HDW submarines, two and half decades ago and is working
perfectly according to navy sources. During the later eighties the
Indian navy was provided the two Type-209 HDW submarines in running
condition and two were assembled later in the Mazhgaon dockyard. There
was option of assembling two more, but the German HDW also met the fate
of the Swedish Bofors and cancelled the option of manufacturing two
more in Indian shipyard. There were allegations of illicit transaction
against the HDW and the then government in late eighties cancelled the
execution of the rest of the deal. There were talks of seven percent
kickbacks in Rs 420 crore deal for four HDW submarines and the company
was blacklisted by Indian government. Later the German company got the
reprieve from the Delhi High Court and is now once again free to join
the race for six submarines under the P-75-I programme.

The official release issued by the Ministry of Defence spokesman
on the Indo German talks has given a scant idea of the conversations but
sources said that the two sides discussed the Indian plan to
domestically manufacture six advanced submarines with foreign
collaboration in an Indian shipyard under the Make in India plan. The
German defence minister Ms Ursula referred to the Make in India plan and
offered to support this initiative in the field of submarines. She
described the two countries as natural partners. Interestingly under
the Make In India plan the Ms Ursula also proposed the manufacture of
European Fighter in India in collaboration with any Indian partner.
Since the mission MMRCA ( Multi Role Medium Combat Aircraft ) is only
partially accomplished with only 36 of the 126 aircrafts ordered from
France, Germany has offered India to transfer of technology and knowhow
to make the Typhoons in India. Indian Air Forc e is in the dire need of
acquiring around ten fighter squadrons and will have soon to make a
choice.
Regarding Submarines, it will not be easy for Indian MOD to take
decision in favor of the Germans as there are others also in fray
including the Russian Amur, the Spanish Navantia, the French DCN and
even the Japanese Soryu submarine manufacturer may also be asked to join
the race.
Sources said that Indian Shipyard Mazhgaon dock had gained good
experience of assembling the German submarines, but this time the
government is seriously considering the issue of utilizing the private
sector shipyards. The Government to Government route adopted for
acquiring the French Rafales may also be considered as the Indian navy
submarine strength has gone down at precarious low level and needs
urgent augmentation of the fleet. The diesel submarine strength has come
down to 13 and one nuclear powered Submarine INS Chakra is on a ten
year lease. Another Indian nuclear powered submarine is under sea trial
and may join the Indian Navy by the end of the year.
According to sources the Germans have offered their most advanced,
recently out of the design table, the Type- 216 submarines to India.
The basic design of this submarine is based on Type-214, which is
double hulled with two decks and includes a fuel cell, Permasyn motor
and Lithium ion batteries. This submarine is also equipped with Air
Independent Propulsion technology, which the Indian navy wants to have
in all its future diesel submarines.

The Submarine has a displacement of 4000 tonnes and has a range of
19,300 kms at 10 knots while its maximum speed is 20 knots. It has
endurance of 80 days and has 6 x 21 torpedo tubes and can accommodate 18
torpedoes or anti-ship missiles. The sub has vertical launch system.
Since this design is not yet proven, the Indian Navy may ask for Type –
214 submarines.
After hardselling the German military hardware in New Delhi during
meeting with the top political brass in New Delhi the German defence
minister flew in to Mumbai where she visited Western Naval Command
Headquarters and met the Flag Officer Commanding in Chief Vice Admiral
S.P.Singh Cheema and also visited the Indian Naval Ship Mumbai.
Trying to show the closeness between India and Germany on Security
issues Mr Ursula had said, while addressing a meeting of Observer
Research Foundation in New Delhi, “ Prime Minister Modi made the case
for international enterprises to set up shops in India and for closer
collaboration with the German economy,. But our focus today is not only
on economic collaboration _ today it is also in security policy.
Later commenting on German Defence Minister’s visit to India, the
German Ambassador Michael Steiner said,” Her visit was a further boost
for our strategic partnership at all levels. In October Chancellor
Angela Merkel will visit India for the next round of intergovernmental
consultations.” The Germans are expected one again to push the case for
German Subs and fighters to be made in India in late October.

It has been 32 years in the making but it will be
least another five years before the indigenously-built fighter jet Tejas
(Mark -II) can be deployed in a combat role, a top Indian Air Force
official told NDTV.

This is bad news for India which was hoping to induct the Tejas in large
numbers to make-up for its ageing fighter fleet. India will have to
decommission about 14 Squadrons of MiG-21 and MiG-27 fighters by 2022.

Top IAF officials told NDTV that Tejas (Mark -II) will be fitted with
the GE - 414 engine instead of the existing GE- 404 engine to give the
aircraft more thrust. "But that would require major changes in the
airframe, the lengthy of aircraft will have to increased, air intake
vents of the engine re-designed -and ballast - or weight - added to tail
section of existing airframe to stabilize the aircraft," the officer
told NDTV.The aircraft will also be fitted with an improved radar to give it the
capability to take on targets that are beyond visual range (BVR). The
IAF wants Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Radars. The current
version of the aircraft cannot fire missiles at BVR targets.

The Tejas (Mark -I) - the current version which doesn't meet Indian Air
Force's combat requirements - is unlikely to get its crucial Final
Operational Clearance (FOC) this December, as planned. "There are still
some issues that need to sorted and the FOC will be delayed," the
officer said.

Recently India opted to buy 36 - about two squadrons - French-built
Rafale fighters to plug the growing gaps in capability created by aging
and retiring jets. "It is a pragmatic decision" the Rafales will give
the IAF some maneuvering room while the Tejas is further refined," the
officer added.Despite pressure to induct fighters in large numbers, the IAF plans to
induct about 40 Tejas (Mark-I) fighters in the next few years and use it
mainly for training purposes. "As we see it, it is better to wait and
get a good fighter then going for Mark-I in its current state of
development" the officer added.

India will get six low frequency Active Towed Array Sonar (ACTAS)
systems, that will be fitted on the Kamorta-class submarines, later this
year from Germany.
The system, which can detect enemy submarines, will give a fillip to India's anti-submarine warfare capabilities.
India had late last year signed a contract for the towed array sonar with German firm Atlas Elektronik.
Under the deal, the first six systems would come from Germany and the
rest will be manufactured in India under cooperation with Bharat
Electronics Limited.
"This system, which will arrive in the next few months, is a huge
capability enhancement of our anti-submarine warfare. ACTAS is the
backbone of anti-submarine warfare," defence sources said.
The towed array sonar provided by ATLAS permits observation of the
sea space at ranges considerably above 60 kilometres, depending on the
propagation conditions of the water.
This gives the sonar an operational range that by far exceeds that of radars and the weapons range of submarines.
The system is, therefore, not only ideal for hunting submarines but also for the wide-area reconnaissance of surface combatants.
"Indian ships currently use bow mounted sonar or hull mounted sonar
which is less effective. ACTAS is the future," the sources said.
They added that the system is first being put on Kamorta-class
anti-submarine corvettes. The project is destined to be rolled out to
various classes of ships including Delhi, Talwar, Shivalik and Kolkata.
The sources said ATAS is especially vital in the Arabian Sea.
Warships detect submarines with sonar - a "ping" of sound emitted
into the water that reflects from submarines, just as radar bounces back
from aircraft.
In Arabian Sea's warm and shallow waters, the returning signal often
gets lost, the sources said, adding that since ATAS is towed by a cable
deep below the surface where submarines operate, detection is much
higher.

Russia may help India build nuclear submarines and stealth warships, according to Indian media reports.
Last week India’s Economic Timesreported that
the Indian conglomerate Reliance Infrastructure—which owns stakes in
numerous Indian defense companies—is seeking Russian assistance for
programs to locally produce nuclear submarines and other stealth
warships.
According to the report, top Reliance executives were in Moscow last
week to meet with Russian defense officials about finding a partner for a
joint venture between a Russian defense company and Pipavav Defence
& Offshore Engineering, India’s largest defense shipyard, which
Reliance has an 18 percent stake in. Specifically, Reliance is looking
for a Russian partner with the “requisite technology expertise for
manufacturing warships in India.”
As the Economic Times points out, the meetings come on the
heels of India’s Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) approving a plan
for an Indian company to locally manufacture six nuclear submarines and
seven stealth warships. The initial investment outlay for the project
was set at Rs 1 trillion ($15.67 billion.)
Although the Russian government refused to specifically confirm the report, it did sound receptive to such a possibility.
"The Russian side is open to negotiations with Indian partners on
various projects, including cooperation and JV [joint ventures] to
manufacture modern defense equipment," a Russian official at the embassy
in Delhi told ET in response to a query.
For its part, a Reliance official told the Indian newspaper, “We are
deeply committed to investments in the defence sector and the PM's Make
In India program,” referring to Indian Prime Minister Modi.
Besides the Make in India program, the prospective joint venture
would likely take advantage of the amendments Modi approved in the
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) laws last year. FDI is now allowed to
make up 49 percent of defense sector projects, up from 26 percent before
Modi approved the changes.
Russia would arguably be the most sensible foreign partner for India
as the two countries have an extensive defense technology relationship
that dates back to the Soviet Union days. This has most certainly
included submarines. In the 1960s and 1970s, for example, the Soviet
Union sold India eight Foxtrot-class submarines, which India operated as Vela-class submarines.
India also currently operates a number of Kilo-class submarines,
which are designated as Sindhughosh-class submarines by the Indian Navy.
Near the end of the Cold War, India also briefly leased a nuclear-powered submarine from the Soviet Union. More recently, in 2011
India began operating an Akula II nuclear attack submarine under a
ten-year lease from Russia. That lease was valued at $970 million.
Despite Modi’s Make in India program, as well as the plan to build
six indigenous nuclear-powered submarines, there have been indications
that India may lease a second nuclear-powered submarine from Russia.
During a trip to Delhi in December of last year, Russian President
Vladimir Putin said that Russia would gladly supply India with more
nuclear-powered submarines.
“If India decides to have more contracts to lease nuclear submarines, we are ready to supply,” Putin said at the time.
Later, Indian news outlets reported that negotiations are underway
for a second Akula II SSN, which would enter into service with the
Indian Navy in 2018.
Besides the nuclear submarines, India is also looking for foreign
partners to help it build at least six stealth diesel-electric
submarines. Competition for that contract is stiff.
As The National Interestnoted back in
January, Japan has expressed interest in helping India build
Air-Independent Propulsion-equipped submarines. Just this week, the
German Defense Minister was in Delhi lobbying for a German company to get the contract.
Other countries reportedly in the mix for that contract include France, Sweden Spain and, of course, Russia.

May 29, 2015

India expects to bring into service its first domestically made
aircraft carrier by 2018 as it looks to counter China’s expanding
military capabilities in the region.
The diesel-powered, 40,000-ton INS Vikrant will be ready within three
years, Indian Navy Chief R.K. Dhowan told reporters in New Delhi today.
It’s under construction at a shipyard in the southern port city of
Kochi.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved $45 billion of
weapons purchases since taking power last May. He’s seeking to keep pace
with China to prevent it from gaining a foothold in the Indian Ocean.
The aircraft carrier project is three years behind schedule after
difficulties in procuring materials, including high-grade steel from
Russia. When finished, it will be capable of supporting MiG-29K fighter
jets, helicopters and long-range surface-to-air missile systems,
according to a 2013 government statement when the carrier was named.
India’s navy currently has two aircraft carriers: the 56-year-old INS
Viraat built by the British and a refurbished Russian vessel.

The Indian Air Force (IAF),
facing a severe shortage of fighter aircraft, will have the opportunity
to boost its combat strength with an unusual asset - fitting guns and
rockets on Hawk trainer aircraft, bought for training IAF pilots before they entered the cockpits of high performance fighters like the MiG-21.

On Tuesday, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) and UK-headquartered BAE Systems (BAE), agreed to explore the development of a "Combat Hawk" which could even be exported to friendly foreign countries.

India already has the world's largest fleet of Hawk Mk132 advanced
jet trainers (AJTs). The IAF and navy have 123 Hawks on order, of which
90 are already in service, training their pilots. While HAL builds
the remaining 33 in Bengaluru under licence from BAE, the IAF is
contracting for another 20 Hawks for its superlative aerobatics display
team, which so far flew the Kiran Mark II.

The Hawk AJT already has advanced avionics, including digital cockpit
displays that allow trainee pilots to practice navigation, the use of
sensors like radar, and to fire weapons. Transforming this into a
"Combat Hawk" involves fitting air-to-air missiles and air-to-ground
guns, rockets and bombs. The Hawk Mk132 has seven wing stations for
mounting weapons and reconnaissance equipment. These weapons need to be
integrated with the avionics of the aircraft.

Such "light attack aircraft" are adept at several missions that
high-performance fighters are ill suited to perform. Flying slower,
their pilots get more time to identify targets, especially over jungle
terrain, or when targets are camouflaged. In mountains, accuracy is
extremely important because even narrowly missing a target on a sharp
ridgeline means the bomb or rocket strikes harmlessly, hundreds of feet
below. Light attack aircraft allow greater accuracy.

Besides accuracy, affordability is another big plus for light attack
aircraft. Many countries cannot afford to buy or operate fighters. The
Afghan Air Force will fly 20 Embraer A-29 Super Tucano light attack
aircraft for counter-insurgency (COIN) operations against the Taliban.
Meanwhile, the United States Special Operations Command is also buying a
fleet of similar aircraft for its "light air support" programme.

The defence ministry has not yet announced a plan to acquire or operate
light attack aircraft. India's military has been historically reluctant
to use combat aircraft in COIN operations, given the potential for
collateral damage.

Even so, HAL officials say a Combat Hawk could
be offered to the military once it is developed. In advocating its
programme to develop the indigenous Hindustan Turbo Trainer - 40
(HTT-40), HAL argued that it could be combatised, unlike the Pilatus
PC-7 Mark II trainer, which would require permission from Switzerland.

The HAL-BAE agreement also envisages upgrading the Hawk Mk132 to the capability level of Hawk Mk128 trainers on which Royal Air Force (RAF) pilots train. The IAF procured the Hawk Mk132 before the RAF upgraded
to the Mk128. The latter has a cockpit display that more closely
resembles the kind of fighters that trainees graduate to from the Hawk.

"If India wants to become an export hub for the Hawk, it would need to
graduate to the latest standard, which is the Hawk Mk128. Saudi Arabia
and Oman, which are inducting the Eurofighter Typhoon, are likely to
demand Hawk trainers built to the latest RAF standards. India could
position itself to address those markets", says Chris Broadman of BAE Systems.

May 28, 2015

India has sounded out Germany for a direct
government-to-government deal to buy six submarines, bypassing a
competitive bidding process in what could be New Delhi's costliest
military acquisitions programme.
The Indian Navy is now in the middle of finalising the specifications
for and choosing a shipyard for its P75i programme to acquire six
conventional submarines. The submarines must be capable of firing
missiles to attack targets on land and must have air independent
propulsion (AIP) that gives them more endurance to stay underwater.
The total cost of the project could top $11 billion (approximately Rs 66,000 crore).

The enquiry to the Germans was made at delegation-level talks last
evening, a source in the defence ministry said today. The German defence
minister, Ursula Von Der Leyen, is currently visiting India.
The Indian Navy currently operates a fleet of 13 conventional
diesel-electric submarines after its INS Sindhurakshak sank in Mumbai in
August 2013. Four of the submarines are of German-origin.
"We asked them what they would offer if we went for the submarines in
a direct government-to-government deal," said the official.
German conglomerate, Thyssenkrupp, the original builders of the
U-Boat of Hitler's navy in World War II, currently owns HDW from which
the Indian Navy sourced its Type 209 Shishumar-class submarines (INS
Shishumar, Shankush, Shalki and Shankul) between 1986 and 1994 before
the deal was hit by allegations of bribery and suspended.
Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems is now contracted to upgrade the four
submarines. The upgradation involves equipping them with capability to
fire Harpoon missiles.
The Project 75i programme is designed to assist the navy in beefing
up its undersurface power after a three-year submarine-building project
drafted in the 1990s went askew. The navy wanted 24 submarines by 2024;
it now effectively has 13 with two or three constantly under refit.
Last year, the government decided to select an Indian shipyard for
P75i for which a committee headed by the navy's chief of design,
vice-admiral Ashok Subhedar, has been tasked.
A defence official said the Modi government was closer to a policy in
which all purchases of "strategic equipment" would be made through
government-to-government deals. He cited the example of the decision to
buy 36 Rafale fighter jets from France.
An official statement from the ministry said the talks between
Manohar Parrikar and the visiting German minister focused on "partnering
of Germany in the Make-in-India initiative in the defence sector and
supply of state-of-the-art equipmentechnology".
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Germany last month. German
chancellor Angela Merkel is slated to visit India later in the year. The
German defence minister will be visiting the Western Naval Command in
Mumbai tomorrow.

Indian companies—big and small, known and unknown—want a
piece of the defence equipment business and have applied for industrial
licences from the ministry of commerce to locally manufacture military
equipment, including airplanes and warships.

The list of companies, now up on the website of the ministry, makes for interesting reading.

For instance, among the applicants is telecom
infrastructure company Himachal Futuristic Communications Ltd (HFCL), as
famous for its outrageous bids for telecom licences in the late 1990s
as for its run-ins with the stock market regulator. Both are now behind
the company, which is seeking an industrial licence to make airplanes,
weapons and ammunition.

The office of Mahendra Nahata, managing director of HFCL, did not respond to queries.

Besides these companies, there are bigger and better
known entities eyeing a piece of the action as well, making the battle
more intense. Companies such as Bharat Forge Ltd, Reliance Industries
Ltd, the Tata group, Larsen and Toubro Ltd, the Godrej Group and the Mahindra Group are fairly well entrenched in the business and are looking for more opportunities.

Anil Ambani’s Reliance Group and the Adani Group’s Adani Defence Systems and Technologies Ltd are the latest to enter the race.

The scramble is partly the result of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s emphasis on defence equipment as part of his Make in India campaign.

“We are reforming our defence procurement policies and
procedures. There would be a clear preference for equipment manufactured
in India… We are expanding the role of the private sector, even for
major platforms,” he said in February.

India is the world’s largest importer of defence
equipment, according to Stockholm International Peace Research
Institute. It spends around $24 billion a year on defence equipment.

Kabir Bogra,
associate partner at law firm Khaitan and Co., said many Indian
companies see defence equipment as an opportunity to redefine themselves
and develop new revenue streams.

“Further, Bharat Forge, Pipavav, Tata and a few others
with historical linkages to the armed forces now have an opportunity to
leverage their vast manufacturing bases and expertise. Foreign vendors
looking to invest in India need partners who can provide the relevant
scale of manufacturing and match the capital costs,” he said.

Bogra pointed out that Indian businesses can also provide
the necessary guidance to offshore partners in navigating regulatory
and legal hurdles.

“Therefore, an Airbus
tying up with Tata is a mutually beneficial relationship. With respect
to smaller companies engaged in precision engineering, it’s a
significant opportunity for them to upgrade their skills and technical
know-how and be able to become suppliers in the global supply chain and
expand their markets,” Bogra said.

Opportunities in defence manufacturing are equally relevant for both big and small players, he said.

“From a sustainability perspective, we believe that a
large percentage of the ventures will be successful since the small and
mid-sized businesses cannot afford to waste this opportunity,” added
Bogra, who specializes in defence contracts.

The scramble can also be explained in terms of the
near-term opportunities on offer. On 17 February, the Cabinet Committee
on Security approved plans to build six nuclear-powered submarines and
seven stealth warships at a cost of about Rs.1 trillion.

There is more in store. India’s defence spending is
expected to hit $620 billion between 2014 and 2022, with half of it
going into capital expenditure, potentially turning a leading buyer of
expensive arms into an arms supplier.

Driven by both domestic and external demand, the annual
opportunity for Indian companies—both public and private sector—is
expected to reach $41 billion by fiscal 2022 and $168 billion between
fiscal years 2014 and 2022, according to a report by industry lobby
Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry and financial
services firm Centrum Capital Ltd.

In August last year, the foreign direct investment (FDI)
limit in defence manufacturing was raised from 26% to a composite cap of
49% (FDI and foreign institutional investment).

Rahul Gangal,
partner at Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, said aerospace and
defence were emerging as an attractive business segment for small and
medium enterprises as they see significant indigenous supply gaps they
can fill.

“They find comfort not only in India’s continued uptick
in military spend but also in its strong and renewed focus on local
manufacturing and sourcing—especially with the new government’s Make in
India initiative. Companies are also getting attracted to this segment
as defence manufacturing is justifiably considered the cutting edge of
technology and usually benefits manufacturers with subsequent technology
adaptations in civil businesses,” Gangal added.

Another reason for the rush is offsets—a policy that requires any foreign arms manufacturer securing an order worth more than Rs.300 crore from India to source components worth 30% of the value of the order from India.

The offsets opportunity is expected to be worth $15
billion in the next 10-15 years, assuming that several proposed
purchases are completed on time, according to KPMG.

(tribuneindia):Talks are on between India and Germany to either
co-produce or have direct deal for the supply of six next-generation
submarines.
Sources told The Tribune that Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar raised
the matter during a meeting with his German counterpart Dr Ursula von
der Leyen in New Delhi yesterday. India reportedly asked Germany what
all it could offer if a direct deal was struck between the two countries
on next-generation submarines. The move comes after India recently
announced to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets from France.
ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems of Germany, which owns the submarine arm
HDW, is among the few international companies India is looking at for
the “Project-75 India” tender that will have six submarines with the air
independent propulsion (AIP) allowing for longer period of submergence
underwater. The Indian Navy also wants greater stealth and land-attack
capability.
The Russians and the French DCNS also make such subs and so does Japan.
New Delhi has expressed interest in all of them and is looking for the
best deal. The US does not make such subs anymore.

Parrikar meets German Defence Minister

Defence
Minister Manohar Parrikar has reportedly asked his German counterpart
Ursula von der Leyen what all the country could offer if a direct deal
was struck between the two countries on next-generation submarines

ThyssenKrupp
Marine Systems of Germany, which owns the submarine arm HDW, is among
the few international companies India is looking at for the “Project-75
India” tender

The tender will have six submarines with the air independent propulsion allowing for longer period of submergence underwater.

May 27, 2015

Hindustan
Aeronautics Limited has signed an MoU with BAE Systems UK for the upgrade
of Hawk Mk 132 Advanced Jet Trainer, development of combat Hawk for Indian
and export markets and maintenance solutions for supporting Jaguar and
Hawk fleet. The Hawk Mk 132 is an Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) with tandem
dual seats meant to provide basic, advanced flying and weapons training.

Speaking on the
occasion, T. Suvarna Raju, CMD of HAL expressed confidence on success
of the proposed collaboration between HAL and BAE. "It is important
that both the teams finalise the scope of Hawk Mk 132 upgrades and other
work packages under the MoU agreement at the earliest", he
said. MN Shrinath, General
Manager (Aircraft) signed the MoU on behalf of HAL, while Steve Timms,
Managing Director (Defence Information, Training and Services) signed
on behalf of BAE. Chris Boardman, Managing Director (Military Air &
Information) headed the BAE delegation. The Hawk
Mk 132 is an Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) with tandem dual
seats meant to provide basic, advanced flying and weapons training.
The cockpit provides excellent field of view and the aircraft is equipped
with Inertial Navigation/Global Positioning System, Head-Up Display
and Hands-On Throttle and Stick controls.The aircraft has
the capabilities to be used as a ground attack aircraft or for air defence.
The Hawk AJT has excellent flying characteristics with good stability,
can be flown at night and can perform wide range of aerobatic manoeuvres.
The aircraft can accommodate a wide variety of external stores. The
aircraft has 7 hard points to carry external stores with a possible
12 types of combinations to carry the stores.The aircraft is
being produced at HAL under licence from BAeS, UK and the first aircraft
was handed over to IAF in August 2008. Production program of 42 Hawks
to IAF was concluded in 2011-12. Further, second contract was signed
between IAF and HAL in July 2010 for supply of 40 Nos of Hawk AJT and
associated equipment. HAL has so for produced 25 aircraft and would
be producing all the 40 aircraft by 2016-17.A contract was signed
between Indian Navy and HAL in July 2010 for supply of 17 Nos of Hawk
AJT and associated equipment. HAL has so far produced 11 aircraft and
would be producing all the 17 aircraft by 2016-17. HAL has so far produced
78 Hawk aircraft.

Much has been said about what Narendra Modi
has done and not done in his one year as Prime Minister. One aspect
that has gone relatively unnoticed is the change in defence equipment
procurement procedure that his government is putting in place.

Earlier this month, the Defence Acquisition Council, the highest
decision-making body on buying military hardware, cleared a Rs.11,930
crore proposal to build military transport aircraft in India. This deal
bypassed the government-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) in favour of Tata Advanced Systems Ltd. The recent decision to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets directly from France was another snub to HAL.

HAL badly needs an infusion of technology and money. One
way to do that could be by bringing in new partners for the public
sector undertaking to rejuvenate the company in return for a stake in
it. By doing so, the government will save itself opprobrium that may
come its way if it were to sell a stake in the aircraft maker only to
raise revenue.

May 26, 2015

Egypt
has agreed to buy 46 of Russia's MiG-29 fighter jets in a deal that may
be worth up to $2 billion, the largest order for MiG aircraft since the
fall of the Soviet Union, newspaper Vedomosti reported Monday May 25,
citing two unidentified aviation industry sources.Cairo has historically
purchased U.S.-made military hardware, but Washington suspended future
sales after the ouster of former President Mohamed Morsi in 2013. Since
then, Egypt has turned to a number of other suppliers, including Russia,
for its military needs. Last year Egypt bought Russia's advanced S-300
anti-aircraft system for a sum not less than $500 million, one of Vedomosti's
sources said.According to one
of Vedomosti's two sources in the aviation industry, the deal for the
46 MiG-29
fighter jets will cost up to $2 billion.The MiG-29
was first fielded in the 1970s to counter U.S. fighter jets such as
the F-15 and F-16, and has been continuously upgraded by Russia's MiG
aircraft company over the years.The deal will be
a boon to MiG, securing a production portfolio that would keep MiG-29s
rolling off the assembly line until around 2020, Konstantin Makienko,
deputy director of the Moscow-based Center for the Analysis of Strategies
and Technologies, told Vedomosti

During
testimony before the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday,
US Defence Department Assistant Secretary for Asian and Pacific Security
Affairs David Shear announced that in addition to the movement of US Marine
and Army units around the Western Pacific region, "we will be
placing additional Air Force assets in Australia as well, including B-1
bombers and surveillance aircraft."
The US plan comes as the Obama administration moves
to boost US naval forces and air power in the South China Sea to assert
the right of free passage and challenge China's efforts to buttress
its maritime territorial claims through the construction of airfields
and artificial islands.
The B-1 Lancer bomber, commonly called "Bone"
(originally from "B-One") was first deployed by the US Air
Force in the mid 1980s and is expected to continue as a strategic bomber
until the mid 2030s.
US B-52 bombers have previously been temporarily deployed
to Darwin, to take part in exercises with the Royal Australian Air Force,
in 2012 and in late 2014, as a consequence of a joint Force Posture
Initiative agreed by former prime minister Julia Gillard and US President
Barack Obama in 2011.
About 1150 US Marines began arriving in Darwin this
week for six months training during the Top End's dry season. The marines
are the fourth rotation of US troops deployed to the Northern Territory
since 2011. The plan is to gradually increase the number of US Marines
rotating through Darwin to 2500 troops by 2017.
Disclosed ahead of any statement by the Australian government,
the US plan to deploy B-1 bombers and high-altitude remotely piloted
Global Hawk surveillance aircraft to Australia comes as part of the
US military's broader "pivot" to the Asia-Pacific region.

Assistant Defence Secretary Shear made it clear on Wednesday that the
US intends to challenge China's claims to sovereignty over large parts
of the South China Sea.
"We claim the right of innocent passage in
such areas, and we exercise that right regularly, both in the South
China Sea and globally," Mr Shear told the Senate Foreign
Relations committee.
Similar views were expressed by Assistant Secretary
of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Russel, who also
told the Senate committee "No matter how much sand you pile
on a reef in the South China Sea, you can't manufacture sovereignty."
The Chinese Foreign Ministry has voiced "serious
concern" about the US officials's remarks.
Spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a press conference on
Wednesday that China supported freedom of navigation in the South China
Sea but "freedom of navigation does not give one country's
military aircraft and ships free access to another country's territorial
waters and airspace."
She said China would "resolutely safeguard
its territorial sovereignty" and urged the US "not
to take any risks or make any provocations."The Australian Defence Department has not yet commented
on the US announcement. airrecognition

The Russia-based Sukhoi Company handed over the first batch of Su-34
frontline bombers to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
according to the 2015 State Defense Order. The aircraft took off from
the V.P. Chkalov Novosibirsk Aircraft Plant's airfield and headed to
their place of deployment, the aircraft maker announced on May 21.

Last
year, the Sukhoi Company's branch -- the Novosibirsk aviation plant
successfully completed the 2014 State Defence Order and delivered two
combat aircraft above the initial yearly plan, it said.The 4+ generation Su-34s are replacing the Su-24 frontline bombers which are presently in service with the Russian Air Force.

The Russian Defence Ministry has placed an order for over 100 Su-34s to be delivered to the Air Force by 2020.

The
multi-role Su-34 fighter bomber is designed to attack land-based, sea-
and airborne targets by day and night in all weather conditions.

The
Su-34 strike fighter aircraft is armed with highly effective long-range
air-to-surface and air-to-air guided weapons enabling multi-channel
operational employment. It also features a smart anti-radar defence
system, an armed cockpit and latest computers that provide extra
capabilities for the pilot and navigator to perform aimed bombing and to
manoeuver under enemy fire.

The Su-34 also features an air refueling system for mid-air refueling.

The defence ministry has cleared two crucial deals worth more than
$3.1 billion to equip the Indian Air Force with US-built attack and
heavy-lift helicopters.
Defence minister Manohar Parrikar has sent the proposals to buy 22
AH-64D Apache Longbow attack and 15 CH-47F Chinook heavy-lift copters —
both platforms manufactured by US defence giant Boeing — to the finance
ministry for clearance, a government official said on Monday.
The Apache proposal went to the finance ministry on April 23, while
the one to buy Chinooks was sent last week. The proposals will later go
to the cabinet committee on security, headed by PM Narendra Modi, for
final clearance. The latest price extension granted by Boeing for the
choppers is valid till June 30.
The deals are, however, not linked to US defence secretary Ashton Carter’s upcoming visit to India, beginning June 2.
The proposals have clauses to place follow-on orders for 11 more
Apaches and four extra Chinooks. Both platforms have seen combat in
Afghanistan and Iraq. Boeing had beaten off competition from Russia,
which had offered its Mi-28N Night Hunter and Mi-26 heavy-lift copters
to the IAF.
Armed with fire-and-forget Hellfire missiles, the Apache attack
choppers can track up to 128 targets in a minute and prioritise threats.
These missiles equip the helicopter gunships with heavy anti-armour
capabilities. The army is moving a case to buy 39 Apache helicopters.
The Chinook’s main roles include transporting troops, artillery and
battlefield resupply.
Carter will be arriving in India four months after New Delhi and
Washington renewed the 2005 India-US Defence Framework Agreement to
deepen cooperation in several security-related areas. The agreement led
to some major weapon sales to India, deepened military-to-military
engagements, bolstered technical cooperation and strengthened the
overall strategic partnership. India and the US will also be working on
projects relating to co-development and co-production of military
hardware and systems under the defence trade and technology initiative
(DTTI).
India and US have identified four key “pathfinder projects” for joint
development and production under the DTTI. These include next
generation Raven mini-UAVs, roll-on and roll-off kits for C-130J Super
Hercules planes and mobile electric hybrid power sources.
The US is currently the biggest supplier of weapons to the Indian
military, having won deals worth over $10 billion during the last six
years.

The Indian Navy has begun testing a modernised and refitted diesel –
electric submarine, the Sindhukirti, which is equipped with the
Russian-made Club-S missile strike system. This is the sixth ‘Kilo’
class submarine to be refitted and modernised in collaboration with
Russia.

The Indian Navy has started testing a modernised
and refitted diesel-electric submarine, the Sindhukirti, in the open seas, N.K.
Mishra, head of the Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL), told reporters on Friday.
The modernization began in 2006, and took
nine years to complete. During this time, the Ushus sonar system, manufactured
in India, was installed on the submarine, along with more than 10 other systems
of both domestic and foreign manufacture. 100 kms of cables and 30 kms of
high-pressure air pipes were replaced during the refit.
“Modernization turned out to be a more
complex process than the construction of a new submarine,” the newspaper The
Hindu quoted Mishra as saying, on its website. “This was the largest project
ever implemented in an Indian shipyard.”
A TASS news agency source close to the Indian
Ministry of Defence refused to comment on the progress of the tests, but said
in the course of modernization, the Sindhukirti also acquired the Russian-made
Club-S missile strike system (export version of the Calibre-C missile system),
with a range of up to 200 km.
The source added that the Russian Star
Ship-Repair Centre “also participated in the refit and modernization of the
submarine”, which took place in the city of Visakhapatnam. The company has
modernized six submarines for the Indian Navy since 1997, at its own berths in
Severodvinsk. These were the Sindhughosh, Sindhuvir, Sindhuratna, Sindhuvijay,
and Sindhurakshak, before the Sindhukirti.
All these are Russian-built submarines of
the 887 EKM project (NATO classification, “Kilo”), developed by the Rubin
Central Design Bureau for Marine Engineering (St. Petersburg). They are
designed to fight enemy ships and submarines, and to defend naval bases,
onshore and offshore communications, reconnaissance, and patrol activities.
These submarines have a displacement of
2,300 tons, their length is 72.6 m, submerged speed is 19 knots (about 35 km)
per hour, diving depth around 300 meters, can carry a crew of 52 people, and has
a cruising capacity of 45 days.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts to refresh an aging air force
are skirting state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd., India’s largest
defense contractor, and signaling opportunities for the private sector.
The nation this month agreed a $1.9 billion deal for Airbus Group NV military planes to be built jointly in India by Tata Advanced Systems Ltd.
rather than Hindustan Aeronautics. Modi in April shelved plans for the
state firm to make French Rafale jets under license, putting other local
manufacturers on alert.
Modi’s goals of a stronger military and modern defense industry that
makes greater use of private sector skills puts Hindustan Aeronautics at
a crossroads. It dominated India’s aerospace market after independence
from Britain, but project delays and crashes of jets the company
assembled are hurting the air force as rival China pulls ahead with
stealth fighters.
“India’s private companies may not have Hindustan Aeronautic’s
aerospace experience,” said Richard Aboulafia, vice president at defense
consultancy Teal Group Corp. in Virginia. “But they’re much better
managed and can do a better job delivering products.”
Talks between the government and Dassault Aviation SA over a 2007
tender for 126 Rafales, including 108 to be made by Hindustan
Aeronautics, stalled partly because India sought quality guarantees from
Dassault for the locally made jets.

Modi’s Decision

Modi then chose to buy
36 Rafales directly from the French government to get them faster,
leaving open the possibility of a separate order for more and in effect
killing the earlier $11 billion tender.
The separate purchase could involve a private company for local assembly, said Amit Cowshish, a distinguished fellow at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses in New Delhi.
“India is a huge market for defense products,” he said. “There’s room
for more than just Hindustan Aeronautics. The Airbus-Tata decision is a
good beginning.”
Modi’s vision is to develop a defense-industrial complex that can
strengthen India’s sometimes poorly equipped armed forces, spur
manufacturing and curb overseas acquisitions by one of the world’s biggest arms importers.
He’s approved about $45 billion of weapons purchases since taking
power last May. The Defense Ministry has also cleared two deals worth
more than $3.1 billion for U.S.-built Apache attack and Chinook
heavy-lift helicopters, the Hindustan Times reported today.

Sukhois

Hindustan Aeronautics
has assembled about 200 Russian Sukhoi SU-30MKI warplanes locally under
license, six of which have crashed since 2009, most recently on May 19
with both pilots ejecting. The fleet was temporarily grounded after a Sukhoi ejected its pilots without warning in October.
The company’s project to develop an indigenous fighter, the Light Combat Aircraft, has yet to produce a fully operational jet decades after it was conceived, Teal Group said in April.
The Indian Air Force estimates at least 45 squadrons are needed to
repel a joint attack from Pakistan and China, compared with a current
active strength of about 25. China’s J-31 stealth fighter made its debut last year, a sign of the nation’s lead over India in warplane development.
An “overall system inefficiency” of all involved scuppered the Rafale
tender, said M. Matheswaran, an adviser to Hindustan Aeronautics’
Chairman T. Suvarna Raju.
The 75-year-old company may yet benefit from a requirement that some
of the money to be paid for the 36 Rafale jets must be recycled back to
India -- a rule known as the “offset clause.”

Offsets

If the jets cost about $7 billion, more than $3
billion may come into India’s defense sector via offsets, some of it to
Hindustan Aeronautics, Matheswaran said. The company is busy assembling
Sukhois and developing the Light Combat Aircraft as well as a so-called
fifth generation fighter, he said.
Bengaluru-based Hindustan Aeronautics made pretax profit of 35.8 billion rupees ($563 million) on sales of 151 billion rupees in the 2014 financial year. The government wants to list it on India’s stock market.
Building a bigger role for private industry in defense requires much
greater local knowhow and expertise. Modi has eased curbs on joint
ventures between Indian and foreign defense companies to that end, but
India has a long way to go.
For aircraft such as Rafale, India remains to some extent dependent
on Hindustan Aeronautics for assembly, said Kabir Bogra, an associate
partner at law firm Khaitan & Co. in New Delhi. To alleviate quality
concerns, private businesses could be involved in the manufacture of
certain components, he said.
Amid the flux, companies such as Chicago-based Boeing Co. are already
looking for investment options in India. These trends show Hindustan
Aeronautics must change or else “continue to be punished by the Indian
government and military,” Aboulafia said.

May 25, 2015

China still wants the Russian-made Sukhoi Su-35 multirole fighter jet despite launching a new fighter jet last week.
As noted last week,
China conducted the first test flight of the J-11D on April 29. The
plane is an upgraded version of the J-11B fighter jets, which themselves
are copies of the Russian-made Sukhoi Su-27. Perhaps most notable of
the J11-D’s upgrades is that it reportedly incorporates the J-16’s
advanced Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar.
As Jeffrey Lin and P.W. Singer have said
of the AESA, “The AESA radar allows the J-16 to intercept enemy
aircraft at longer ranges than either of its predecessors, and to attack
multiple surface targets simultaneously. The AESA radar would also be
datalinked to other Chinese platforms, including unmanned vehicles, to
increase their situational awareness.”
As I mentioned in last week’s article, some analysts have been comparing the J-11D to Russia’s Su-35.
However, according to Want China Times, which cites an
article in the Beijing-based Sina Military Network, China will still
look to acquire Russia’s Su-35 even with the new J-11Ds.
“The Su-35 is necessary because it bridges the gap in the People's
Liberation Army Air Force prior to the introduction of China's new
fifth-generation fighter jets, the [Sina] report said, adding that
without Su-35s China would need to figure out how it would go up against
Japan's F-35s and India's Su-30MKI and T-50 aircraft,” Want China Times writes.
“Even if the manufacture of the J-11 can be increased to two a month,
the numbers would still be insufficient, not to mention it remains
unclear whether the J-11 is technically advanced to take on
fifth-generation fighters,” the report added.
While based off of the Su-27, the Su-35 offers a number of significant improvements, leading many in Russia to term it a 4++ generation aircraft. Air Force Technology has said
the Su-35 “has high manoeuvrability (+9g) with a high angle of attack,
and is equipped with high-capability weapon systems that contribute to
the new aircraft's exceptional dogfighting capability. The maximum level
speed is 2,390km/h or Mach 2.25.”
Besides helping combat adversaries’ high-end aircraft, the Su-35’s
high fuel capacity and long range would greatly enhance China’s ability
to enforce its claims in the South China Sea. Specifically, Beijing has
trouble maintaining a regular presence over the enormous waters, which
are roughly 1.4 million square miles (2.25 million square kilometers).
As Peter Wood has written in The Diplomat:

Currently, land-based PLAAF fighters, can conduct limited
patrols of the sea’s southern areas, but their fuel capacity severely
restricts the time they can spend on patrol. Enforcing claims far from
the mainland in times of crisis requires the type of range and speed
that the Su-35 possesses. The Su-35 is likely meant to help enforce
China’s territorial claims, further deter regional claimants, and
provide additional layers of protection in the case of escalation.

Wood notes that the “key to this is fuel,” and the Su-35 offers a number of advantages over the Su-27 in this regard.
“One important improvement of the Su-35 over the Su-27/J-11B is the
ability to carry external fuel tanks, be a major factor limiting the
Su-27, which does not have aerial refueling capability.
This is in addition to a 20 percent increase in fuel capacity over the
Su-27 and air refueling capability. This later capability is another
important part of China’s strategy of increasing loiter times and
distances,” Wood wrote.
Indeed, the Want China Times report also notes that, “The
Su-35 has an internal fuel capacity 11.5 tons compared to the J-11D's
nine tons, meaning it would be more suited to surveillance missions in
the South China Sea.”
nationalinterest

The Army’s quest for new artillery is nearing
completion with the indigenous gun upgraded by the Ordnance Factory
Board (OFB) clearing trials. The Army has placed an indent for 114 guns
in the first phase and these will be delivered in three years, informed
sources said.

“After the Pokhran fiasco with one
barrel-burst, Dhanush barrels were tested in Sikkim under cold
conditions and in other temperatures — and came out with flying colours.
The Army is fully satisfied,” officials told The Hindu.

A Dhanush prototype suffered a barrel burst during firing trials at Pokhran in August 2013 which delayed the process.

80% indigenous

The
initial deal for 114 guns is expected to cost around Rs.1,600 crore.
Pleased with the performance of the gun, the Army has given strong
indications of an additional order for 481 guns, sources added.

The
Dhanush is an upgraded version of the Swedish 155-mm Bofors howitzers
bought by India in the mid-1980s based on the original design. It is a
155-mm, 45-calibre gun with a maximum effective range of 38 km in salvo
mode compared to the 39-calibre, 27-km range of the original guns. It is
80 per cent indigenous, with the APU (auxiliary power unit), electronic
dial sights and a few other small items being imported.

The
Army is desperately short of new long-range artillery, having failed to
induct any new gun after the Bofors scandal. Recently, the Defence
Acquisition Council (DAC) headed by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar
approved a revised proposal from BAE Systems for 145 Ultra-Light
Howitzers for mountainous areas under a government-to-government deal
with the United States.

Additionally last November,
the DAC cleared the process for purchase of 814 mounted gun systems
through the ‘Buy and Make’ category to be built by an Indian private
partner in collaboration with a foreign manufacturer.

May 23, 2015

Key Points

India's defence minister has said Delhi will not buy more than the 36 Dassault Rafales to which it committed in April

The announcement confirms the end of the MMRCA tender and the government's commitment to the Tejas LCA programme

India will neither licence-build additional Dassault Rafale fighters
nor acquire more than the 36 it recently agreed to buy in flyaway
condition, the country's Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said on 21
May.
In multiple interviews to TV channels to mark the completion of the
government's first year in office, Parrikar said the money India had
saved by acquiring 90 fewer Rafales would be diverted to buying 200-odd
indigenous Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA).
"By buying 36 Rafales instead of 126, I have saved the cost of 90
Rafales," Parrikar said, adding that this amount was around INR900
billion (USD15.51 billion). "We will use this money to buy Tejas LCA
priced at around INR1.5 billion each," he added.
The LCA will replace 10 to 12 MiG-21 and MiG-27 squadrons to be retired from 2022 onwards, he said.
Parrikar declined to reveal the cost of the 36 Rafales, whose
purchase Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced in Paris on 10 April and
which are presently the subject of negotiations. He did, however,
confirm that the contract includes a 50% offset obligation.
India's Ministry of Defence (MoD) had been in negotiations with
Dassault since 2012 to acquire 126 Rafales in support of the Indian Air
Force (IAF) requirement for medium multirole combat aircraft.
Of these, 18 were to have been bought off the shelf and 108 licence-built by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd in Bangalore.
Meanwhile, preliminary investigations indicate engine problems could
have resulted in an IAF Sukhoi Su-30MKI multirole fighter crashing in
Assam state on 19 May, official sources said. The crash was the sixth
such incident involving an IAF Su-30 since the aircraft entered Indian
service in 1997.
A court of inquiry into the accident is under way. Both pilots
ejected safely from the fighter, which was on a routine sortie from
Tezpur's Salonibari base but developed "technical problems" shortly
after taking off, sources said.
In March Parrikar told parliament that the Su-30 fleet was plagued by
"engine failure in air and engine-related problems" and that the IAF
had documented 35 problems with the Saturn Al-31Fp powerpack.
Russian officials, however, deny such problems and attribute all six
of the IAF's Su-30 accidents to "human error": an assessment with which
the IAF strongly disagrees.
The IAF has inducted around 200 of 272 Su-30s acquired for more than USD12 billion.

LONDON:
ISIS has used the latest issue of its propaganda magazine Dabiq to
suggest the group is expanding so rapidly it could buy its first nuclear
weapon within a year.

The hyperbolic article, which the group attributes to the British
hostage John Cantlie, claims ISIS has transcended its roots as "the most
explosive Islamic 'group' in the modern world" to evolve into "the most
explosive Islamic movement the modern world has ever seen" in less than
twelve months.

Photojournalist Cantlie is regularly used in
the terror group's propaganda and has appeared in a number of videos,
including a YouTube series called "Lend Me Your Ears". He has been held a
hostage by ISIS for more than two years.The
piece, entitled "The Perfect Storm", describes militant Islamist groups
such as Boko Haram, which recently pledged allegiance to ISIS, uniting
across the Middle East, Africa and Asia to create one global movement.

The article claims this alignment of groups has happened at the sane
time as ISIS militants have seized "tanks, rocket launchers, missile
systems, anti-aircraft systems," from the US and Iran before turning to
the subject of more extreme weapons the group is not in possession of —
such as nuclear weapons.

"Let me throw a hypothetical operation
onto the table," the article continues. "The Islamic State has billions
of dollars in the bank, so they call on their wilayah in Pakistan to
purchase a nuclear device through weapons dealers with links to corrupt
officials in the region."

It admits that such a scenario is
"far-fetched" but warns: "It's the sum of all fears for Western
intelligence agencies and it's infinitely more possible today than it
was just one year ago.

"And if not a nuke, what about a few thousand tons of ammonium nitrate explosive? That's easy enough to make."

An attack launched by ISIS against America would ridicule "the attacks of the past".

"They'll [ISIS] be looking to do something big, something that would
make any past operation look like a squirrel shoot, and the more groups
that pledge allegiance the more possible it becomes to pull off
something truly epic.

"Remember, all of this has happened in
less than a year. How more dangerous will be the lines of communication
and supply a year on from today?"

The capacity of ISIS to acquire such a device is certainly beyond the group at the moment.

But ISIS is indeed a well funded group having secured a number of
oilfields in Syria and Iraq. The group also sells artefacts looted from
historic areas seized during its insurgency, sometimes for six figure
sums, as well as imposing taxes on civilians trapped in its
self-declared caliphate and other methods of extortion.

The
finances of the group have been estimated by some to be in the $2billion
area, though it is impossible to verify how much money it actually has
access to.

The threats come against a mixed backdrop of
successes and losses in both countries; the group has been driven out of
Tikrit in Iraq but has overrun Ramaldi and the Syrian ancient city of
Palmyra.

A recent call to arms from its leader Abu Bakr
al-Baghdadi also appeared to suggest it may be overstretched in some
areas, with his speech urging supporters from across the world to travel
to its territories in the Middle East.

In September last year,
the home secretary, Theresa May, warned that the militant group could
become the world's first "truly terrorist state".

"We will see
the risk, often prophesied but thank God not yet fulfilled, that with
the capability of a state behind them, the terrorists will acquire
chemical, biological or even nuclear weapons to attack us," she said. -timesofindia

Germany
and France are now preparing to jointly develop a new main battle tank, the
Leopard 3, to replace its ageing Leopard 2 military vehicle by around 2030,
which would be able to compete with Russia's next-generation Armata tank,
recently showcased at the Victory Day parade commemorating the end of World War
Two in Moscow.

The German Defense Ministry has
announced its plans for the "Leo 3" (as it's likely to be
nicknamed in Germany) to replace its main battle tank, the Leopard 2.

The main reason for the
modernization is believed to be the Leopard 2 service life, which is set
to expire by 2030.

The German media, however, suggest
that the real reason is the recently-presented analysis by Germany’s
Federal Intelligence Service (BND) on Russia’s reinforced combat strength
and its recently showcased T-14 Armata tanks, which were presented
during the country's Victory Parade in Moscow on May 9.

A column of Armata tanks,
equipped with 125mm cannons, rolled through Moscow's historic Red
Square on May 9 as Russian President Vladimir Putin and a number
of foreign heads of state, including Chinese leader Xi Jinping,
watched on.

The BND analysis suggests that even
though the combat vehicles unveiled at the parade are still somewhat
pre-production models, when completed, it will be a tank with the highest
levels of armaments.

According to Deutsche Welle, the manufacturer of the current
Leopard 2, Krauss-Maffei Wegmann, is scheduled to fuse with the
French firm Nexter Systems over the course of this year.

This has prompted the German media
to report that the new Franco-German firm, with more than 6,000
staff and a combined turnover of around 2 billion euros ($2.2 billion),
could be a strong candidate to win the contract to develop a new
battle tank for the German Bundeswehr.

Just before the Victory Day
Parade in Moscow, the US bimonthly magazine The National Interest reported
on why America should really fear Russia's Armata T-14 tank.

The magazine suggested that Russia actually might be able
to deliver in the field the tank of greater speed,
maneuverability, firepower and survivability vis-à-vis anything being produced
for Western armies.

The Armata is a Russian prototype
of a heavy tracked vehicle platform that will be used in the
construction of a next-generation main battle tank and a range
of other combat vehicles.

The tank's main armaments include a 7.62mm remote-control machine gun
and a 125mm smoothbore cannon. The tank is operated by a crew of three,
which are housed in an armored capsule in the front.

The military vehicle is also
equipped with active counter-mine defense and a suit of circular-view
high resolution cameras. It can fire rounds while in motion and travels
at a speed of up to 50 miles (80.47 km) per hour.